Row in Bayelsa over Dickson’s alleged beating of council chief

The alleged beating of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Chairman of Bayelsa State, Chief Remember Ogbe, by Governor Seriake Dickson, yesterday sparked controversies across the state.

Dickson was accused of descending heavily on Ogbe for failing to ensure his victory at the botched governorship election in the local government on December 5 and 6.

The election in the area, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed it defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a landslide, was cancelled, following alleged irregularities.

Dickson allegedly invited Ogbe to the Government House in Yenagoa and reportedly gave him a beating of his life.

But the governor has denied assaulting Ogbe.

A statement quoted Ogbe as debunking the reports that Dickson physically attacked him over the poll.

The statement, which emanated from a Government House source, said Ogbe described the report of his alleged assault as wicked and malicious, adding that it was the handiwork of the APC and its governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The council chief was quoted as saying that the APC was getting more desperate in its bid to take over Bayelsa State by hook or crook.

He reportedly expressed confidence that the PDP would win in Southern Ijaw.

Ogbe was said to have also wondered why the APC claimed that the governor was angry for losing election in his council when there was no election at all in the first place.

The statement said: “Southern Ijaw was riddled with violence and turned to a theatre of war by the APC. Election materials did not get to the polling units, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were kidnapped and these were the reasons why INEC cancelled the process and fixed January 9, 2016 for the election. So, how could the governor be angry with me for not delivering?”

But in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), Chief Nathan Egba, APC dared Ogbe to publicly deny the alleged assault.

Egba said while Ogbe was still nursing his wounds, Dickson, through his Government House Press Unit, was issuing statements for the chairman.

He said: “Our response is, therefore, simple as we are also very convinced that Chief Ogbe is a Christian.

“If he is sure that he was not beaten by anybody, let him come out publicly to deny it on television so that cameras can show his face and other parts.

“It is embarrassing to note that these denials were issued from the Bayelsa Government House Press Office, while Chief Remember Ogbe is still on his sick bed.”

Egba said the Southern Ijaw Local Government chairman had not been seen in public since the incident.

He added: “It is more than two weeks now that Chief Ogbe received the Governor’s beating. This is no lie at all and not political either, but to draw attention to the character of the man who is seeking the mandate of the people.

“Let us recall that Governor Dickson recently met with various stakeholders from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, including the traditional rulers, chiefs, political appointees and youth groups. Chief Ogbe could not attend any of the meetings because of the injuries inflicted on him by the desperate governor.

“For the records, the APC flag bearer, Chief Timipre Sylva, has nothing to do with the story; rather, it was the numerous eyewitnesses, including some close associates, who broke the news because of their unhappiness with the goingson in the Government House.

“We have also promised to provide at least three eyewitnesses, who are willing to stake everything, to confirm this story.”

Egba urged the Government House to provide a platform for the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area’s chairman to personally address reporters so that Bayelsa residents could see who was lying.